Daily infections below 4,000 for 4th day amid tightened distancing rules
Employees from the tourism industry stage a rally in Jongno, central Seoul, for financial support from the government amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Jan. 9. Yonhap
Daily COVID-19 infections stayed below 4,000 for the fourth straight day Sunday here amid tightened distancing rules to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 3,007 new cases, including 2,768 local ones, raising the total caseload to 667,390.
South Korea also recorded 34 more deaths, raising the toll to 6,071 for a fatality rate of 0.91 percent.
The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients stood at 786, staying below 1,000 for the seventh consecutive day.
In November, the government eased antivirus restrictions as part of efforts to return to normalcy in phases under its "Living with COVID-19" strategy.
Daily cases, however, soared to a record high of 7,848, Dec. 15, prompting the government to re-impose a set of revised virus restrictions until Jan. 2, later extended until Jan. 16.
The restrictions include a four-person cap on private gatherings nationwide and a 9 p.m. business hour curfew on cafes and restaurants.
The government plans to bring in antiviral COVID-19 treatment pills this week, vowing to make sure they are used as swiftly as possible.
The KDCA said 43.03 million people, or 83.9 percent of the country's 52 million population, have been fully vaccinated, and 21 million, or 41 percent, have received booster shots.
The number of cases from overseas came to 239, raising that total caseload to 19,137. (Yonhap)